Spark flies to organise text

A distributed computing framework can group large volumes of English text more accurately and efficiently than older methods. The system has the potential to support faster analysis across education, government, and business, according to research published in the International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems, allowing blocks of related text to be automatically sorted and grouped together, or clustered.

The work addresses a practical problem in digital transformation: much of the information generated by organisations is unstructured text, whose meaning can vary with context. Conventional clustering methods are often slow or produce inconsistent groupings when confronted with large, high-dimensional datasets.

The researchers used Apache Spark, a platform for processing data across multiple computers, with an improved K-means algorithm. K-means is a method of grouping data into clusters according to similarities. The researchers modified this tool by using density peaks and maximum-minimum criteria to select better starting points for the clusters, rather than relying on random initialisation.

In tests on multiple datasets they found that the new approach improved clustering accuracy by more than 10 per cent when compared with conventional K-means approaches. The system was also stable even when they ramped up the volume of data to be processed. Indeed, they could improve parallel performance by additional computing nodes.

The framework could help organisations organise and extract information from growing bodies of English-language documents more efficiently, while providing a more consistent basis for subsequent data analysis and decision-making.

Yao, X. (2026) ‘English digital transformation algorithm for distributed big data based on Spark’, Int. J. Intelligent Information and Database Systems, Vol. 18, No. 8, pp.1–28.

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A whole new word

Virtual reality (VR) could be a new tool in helping students with dyslexia to learn English vocabulary more effectively than conventional instruction alone, according to a pilot study involving 30 learners published in the International Journal of Innovation and Learning. Dyslexia is a learning disability that primarily affects reading and related language skills.

VR creates an immersive computer-generated environment with which users can interact. The research divided participants into two groups: one used a custom VR programme incorporating interactive multimedia and game-based learning, while the other received conventional teaching. The team saw higher vocabulary-test scores in the VR group than the other. Moreover, there was greater engagement and stronger conceptual understanding among the students using VR. Those students, themselves, reported improved concentration, imagination, and satisfaction with the learning process overall.

The team explains that the VR allowed learners to encounter words through images, sounds, text, and simulated real-world situations. The game-based activities in the VR encouraged repeated interaction with letters and vocabulary, which they suggest reinforced memory and contextual understanding in that group when compared to those taught using conventional methods.

Digital tools, for all the criticism they often receive in some areas, could improve teaching in special needs and perhaps address the shortfall in specialist teachers and teaching materials for many students with learning difficulties around the world, especially in resource-tight regions. The study contributes to wider efforts to make education more inclusive under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4, which calls for equitable, quality education for all, the researchers add.

Vipahasna, P.P., Vipahasna, K., Khlaisang, J. and Numprasertchai, S. (2026) ‘Virtual reality technology to enhance English language acquisition in children with learning disabilities’, Int. J. Innovation and Learning, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp.245–260.

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New Open Access article available: "Analysis of economic diplomacy between Kazakhstan and Italy: development trends and prospect"

The following nternational Journal of Diplomacy and Economy article, "Analysis of economic diplomacy between Kazakhstan and Italy: development trends and prospect", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Construction of TPACK knowledge integration profile for university teachers based on generative AI and multimodal data
• GAN-based English metaphor identification and paraphrase generation via optimised compression
• Comparative computation of multimodal semantic representations for ideological and value orientations
• Robust multi-agent simulation modelling of the distribution of source-load asymmetric resource regulation capabilities
• Dynamic budget allocation via deep Q-networks with embedded financial risk control using VaR/CVaR metrics

New Open Access article available: "Enhancing IoT security in the post-quantum era: a hybrid approach to protection from impersonation attacks"

The following International Journal of Internet Technology and Secured Transactions article, "Enhancing IoT security in the post-quantum era: a hybrid approach to protection from impersonation attacks", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Associate Prof. Prof. Wan Wei appointed as new Editor in Chief of International Journal of Cultural Management

Associate Prof. Wan Wei from Arkansas Tech University in the USA has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Cultural Management. The journal's previous Editor in Chief, Prof. Wei Song, will take the position of Executive Editor, with the two editors exchanging posts every two years.

Associate Prof. Wan Wei offered the following statement:

"It is my great pleasure and honor to serve as the new Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Cultural Management (IJCultM). I am honoured to lead a highly accomplished and diverse editorial team of researchers representing regions across Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America. Our team brings together established scholars and emerging researchers with diverse expertise and perspectives, providing a strong and inclusive foundation for the continued development of the journal. I am excited to work with such a talented and committed group as we begin this new chapter for IJCultM. We are committed to strengthening IJCultM as an international platform for rigorous, innovative and interdisciplinary research in the fields of culture and cultural management.

IJCultM provides an international and interdisciplinary forum for research on cultural management and related areas. We welcome high-quality theoretical and empirical research that advances our understanding of the management, economics, policy and development of cultural organisations.

The journal welcomes contributions from scholars and researchers across academia, business and the public sector, with the aim of fostering meaningful interdisciplinary dialogue on the management, development and use of culture. We encourage research drawing on diverse disciplinary and methodological perspectives, including economics, finance and sociology. The journal also welcomes critical reviews.

I invite researchers and scholars from around the world to submit their original work to IJCultM and to join us in advancing research and dialogue in this important and evolving field. For more information, please visit http://www.inderscience.com/ijcultm or contact me at ijcultm@atu.edu for any publication-related queries.

I look forward to working with our international scholarly community and to welcoming your contributions to the journal."

Research pick: A little brand love and affection - "The emotional connection between customer happiness and brand love on customer loyalty"

A study of more than 800 fast-food customers suggests that loyalty to a brand is shaped not only by satisfaction with the product or service but also by the customers’ emotional experiences. The study reported in the International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising focused on fast-food consumers in Peru but could have implications for fast-food brands in other emerging markets.

The study was based on responses collected through an online questionnaire and analysed with a statistical technique known as structural equation modelling, which tests the relationships between multiple variables. The researchers found that perceived service quality was perhaps quite obviously associated with the degree of satisfaction with a brand. However, satisfaction, in turn, was linked to the customer’s happiness and their level of brand love and thus to brand loyalty. The research distinguishes between customer satisfaction, which considers whether expectations have been met, and happiness, which reflects a broader positive emotional response to the customer’s experience with the brand.

The findings add to a relatively small body of work that has examined happiness and brand love together and has implications for this particular emerging market where cultural factors may influence how customers assess services and develop relationships with brands.

For fast-food businesses, the results suggest that improving service alone may be insufficient. Managers must also focus on experiences that generate positive emotions, potentially strengthening customers’ attachment to a brand and their willingness to remain loyal.

Pipoli de Azambuja, G.M., Rodríguez Peña, G.A. and Tarazona Vargas, E.G. (2026) ‘The emotional connection between customer happiness and brand love on customer loyalty’, Int. J. Internet Marketing and Advertising, Vol. 25, No. 2, pp.123–148.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Financial risk monitoring based on corporate ESG performance from the perspective of sustainable development
• A secure and scalable blockchain framework for enhancing transaction transparency and operational efficiency in banking systems
• Automatic graphic-text composition for graphic design using diffusion models and layout optimisation
• Deep learning-driven modelling of acoustic logging signals and identification of complex reservoir fractures
• UrbanGreen-LiteFormer: a lightweight vision model for disease and pest recognition of urban landscape plants in complex urban green-space environments

New Open Access article available: "Technological integration challenges in hybrid sheet metal manufacturing systems"

The following International Journal of Machining and Machinability of Materials article, "Technological integration challenges in hybrid sheet metal manufacturing systems", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free Open Access special issue on "Machine Learning for Cloud-Edge Emerging Network Architectures: Part 2" published by International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology

The International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Supply chain demand forecasting and low-altitude economic risks based on machine learning and artificial intelligence
• Ecological management algorithm of fresh supply chain information under artificial intelligence and blockchain architecture
• Simulation model of marine biological population based on multi-agent comfort drive
• CISAA: a collective intelligence-based optimisation framework for low-altitude airspace resource allocation and engineering management
• Application of information optics experimental methods in optical sensors for wearable devices
• Sports biomechanical performance analysis algorithm and geometric parameter equation based on reinforcement learning
• From physical isolation to disaster recovery communication guarantee based on software-defined perimeter (SDP)
• Automatic recognition system of athletic injury images based on deep learning

New Open Access article available: "Operator perspectives and attitudes to evolving tasks and tools in power grid operations"

The following International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics article, "Operator perspectives and attitudes to evolving tasks and tools in power grid operations", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: AI pose estimation is in vogue - "Design of lightweight human pose estimation network for rehabilitation training"

A lightweight artificial-intelligence (AI) system designed to assess rehabilitation exercises in real time could make computer-assisted therapy more practical on low-powered devices, according to research in the International Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining.

The researchers developed RMPE Tiny, a human-pose estimation network tailored to rehabilitation. Pose estimation is a computer-vision technique that identifies key points on the body, such as the shoulders, knees and ankles, from images or video. These points can then be used to measure movement, including range, symmetry, and coordination.

The challenge for such systems is that precise pose estimation usually needs a lot of computing power; this limits them to specialist equipment rather than allowing them to be used on tablets or simple, embedded monitoring systems. RMPE Tiny addresses this through several modifications intended to reduce computational demands without substantially compromising accuracy.

The system uses laser triangulation to improve image acquisition and map 3D coordinates onto a 2D image. In tests, it achieved more than 96 per cent overall pose-estimation accuracy, with most samples approaching or exceeding 98 per cent. The system might ultimately be used to support rehabilitation systems that provide immediate feedback outside clinical settings.

Yang, Q. and Zhang, G. (2026) ‘Design of lightweight human pose estimation network for rehabilitation training’, Int. J. Business Intelligence and Data Mining, Vol. 28, No. 10, pp.85–102.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management are now available here for free:

• Plastic waste recycling product design based on sustainable concepts: study of improvement, developments, and innovations in Kampala City, Uganda
• Preparation and characterisation of aloe vera/nanocellulose/bentonite biocomposite scaffold to remove arsenic from wastewater
• Combination of activated carbon and thermal energy system for the clarification of surface water at Bousellem
• Treated municipal wastewater for irrigation: a case study from Misurata City, Libya
• Study on comprehensive evaluation of environmental pollution in tourist attractions based on FCM algorithm
• Carbon flow tracking methods for power systems in energy conservation and emission reduction environments
• Teak trees computational modelling to measure environmental contribution using functional-structural plant modelling
• Hydraulic modelling and flood hazard zoning in rivers of the urban basin of Sulaymaniyah using 2D modelling with HEC-RAS and GIS
• Carbon emission calculation and control of agricultural product supply chain under the background of energy conservation and emission reduction
• Peak carbon emission prediction of expressway toll stations using GRA-LSTM under the dual carbon background
• Research on influencing factors of regional tourism carbon emission based on LMDI model
• A positive and negative balance accounting method for carbon emissions in parks based on K-nearest neighbour clustering algorithm
• Evaluation method of landscape ecological quality based on remote sensing ecological index
• Automatic classification method of construction waste based on machine vision
• Short-term load prediction of electric vehicle charging stations based on conditional generative adversarial networks

Research pick: Clean up on the roof - "Intelligent autopilot drone robot for de-mossing ramped roofs"

Drones have many uses in surveillance and surveying, industrial inspection, aerial photography and filmmaking, package delivery, even dynamic light-shows. Their fundamental ability to carry cameras, sensors and other equipment opened up these diverse applications. Now, research in the International Journal of Intelligent Machines and Robotics has explored another: the safe removal of moss and lichen from sloping roofs, an otherwise hazardous job for a worker.

The team used an Arduino-based autopilot system for a quadcopter-type drone capable of operating over horizontal or sloping roofs. It follows a programmed zig-zag, or “staircase”, trajectory designed to cover the roof systematically while avoiding obstacles.

Arduino is a low-cost, programmable electronics platform commonly used to control robots. The proposed system combines it with motors, batteries, electronic speed controllers (ESCs), which regulate motor power, and a flight controller that manages the aircraft’s movement and stability. The researchers point out that this seemingly mundane demonstration opens up possibilities for such machines to be used in other applications that otherwise involve risk to workers.

The prototype remains a development platform. Future work identified by the researchers includes improved obstacle handling and machine learning to better identify patterns from video input to allow the drone to adapt to unexpected situations.

Sanyal, S. (2026) ‘Intelligent autopilot drone robot for de-mossing ramped roofs’, Int. J. Intelligent Machines and Robotics, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp.22–44.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management are now available here for free:

• The impact of positive organisational behaviour on employee engagement and performance
• The future of recruitment: a mixed-methods scenario analysis in Germany
• Fostering alignment in the hybrid workplace: bridging the gap between employee experience and expectations
• Human resources in the era of the fourth industrial revolution: Competencies 4.0
• Empowering leadership in cognitive processes and behavioural dynamics: a thematic analysis

Free Open Access special issue on "Global Mobility Law: Rethinking the Role of Law In Movement Across Borders" published by International Journal of Migration and Border Studies

The International Journal of Migration and Border Studies has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Infrastructuring pathways: traversing the legal infrastructure of mobility in South America
• Authoritarian borders? Turning authoritarian international law inside-out
• Reconciling the tensions of the European deportation regime: how the law shapes compulsory mobility across borders
• Freedom of movement, sovereignty, and the Third World in postwar international law (1948-1968)
• Global commerce and global mobility law
• Citizenship as transnational mobility capital
• An international human rights law of migration? Reflections on the place of a right to immigrate

Research pick: Spotting the spoof - "A hybrid deep learning method for URL spoofing in websites"

A machine-learning system can identify fake, or “spoofed”, website addresses, according to research in the International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics. The work offers a new tool to protect users against phishing attacks, where attackers direct someone to a deceptive website to steal information such as bank logins or personal and private data.

The team combined two deep-learning techniques: a convolutional neural network (CNN), which can identify patterns in data, and a long short-term memory (LSTM) network, which can retain information about sequences in that data. This hybrid CNN-LSTM model achieved accuracy rates of almost 99 per cent on the UCL standard test dataset and almost 97 per cent on the PhishTank dataset.

The findings highlight the potential for automated AI systems in protecting people using online commerce, government services, and other activities. Phishing attacks remain particularly difficult to address as a cybercrime problem because they often simply exploit human behaviour and weaknesses rather than being a technical loophole. If a message is sufficiently convincing and a website realistic, then vulnerable or even simply distracted users might disclose sensitive information without realising they have been duped.

A system to accurately flag spoofed addresses before that happens would be invaluable. For the small percentage that it false-flags, the inconvenience would be negligible compared to what is not lost by blocking spoofed sites.

Santhosh Krishna, B.V., Vidhya, S., Krishnaveni, S. and Ashokkumar, N. (2026) ‘A hybrid deep learning method for URL spoofing in websites’, Int. J. Electronic Security and Digital Forensics, Vol. 18, No. 5, pp.524–537.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

New Open Access article available: "Informal entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ecosystems: a systematic literature review and future research agenda"

The following International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business article, "Informal entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ecosystems: a systematic literature review and future research agenda", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Hoarse? With no blame? Physics might explain! - "Physics-informed modelling of vocal fold fatigue process using acoustic and laryngovibrography data"

A new approach to modelling vocal fold fatigue could improve detection and monitoring of problems as they arise, particularly among people whose jobs depend on sustained voice use. The research, published in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology, uses a physics-based framework for tracking changes over time.

The vocal folds, colloquially referred to as vocal cords, are the vibrating muscular structures within the larynx at the top of the trachea that allow us to speak, sing, and make various sounds. Vocal fold fatigue involves declining vocal efficiency, poorer voice quality and greater effort when speaking and can arise in anyone at any time but is common among public speakers, teachers, call centre operators, singers, and others who use their voice more than average or at higher volume.

The new approach, called physics-informed joint simulation and identification (PJSF), treats fatigue as a continuously changing process rather than a fixed condition. It models the depletion and recovery of the vocal system using equations that describe how a system changes over time and combines these with acoustic recordings and laryngovibrography, measurements of vocal-fold vibration to give a diagnosis or predict issues that might arise.

In tests on 20 volunteers, the system was shown to balance between correctly identifying fatigue and avoiding false alarms. The work could lead to a system capable of monitoring vocal strain and supporting personalised voice-use guidance for users whose profession involves constant use of the voice.

Zhang, X., Sun, R., Zhao, C. and Zhao, Y. (2026) ‘Physics-informed modelling of vocal fold fatigue process using acoustic and laryngovibrography data’, Int. J. Information and Communication Technology, Vol. 27, No. 97, pp.89–118.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free Open Access special issue on "Sustainable Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Part 1" published by International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development

The International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Analysing the innovation game in school-enterprise cooperation for talent cultivation under the concept of industry-education integration
• A fuzzy evaluation of AI-assisted English teaching quality based on random forest regression algorithm
• Research on AI assisted teaching effectiveness evaluation method based on PSO-RBF
• Study on fine-grained classification of MOOC ideological and political teaching resources based on an improved switching ensemble algorithm
• Evaluation of public mathematics teaching quality in universities under the fuzzy matrix assessment model
• A deep semantic matching network-based method for retrieving Q&A data in online vocational education
• An AI-driven approach to quality evaluation for large-scale online teaching
• Dynamic evaluation and intervention mechanism of collaborative effectiveness of university research teams based on multimodal learning analysis

Research pick: Harder, better, safer, stronger - Three-way AI improves cybersecurity - "DNN and BiGRU-based hierarchical attention network for intrusion detection"

A new deep-learning architecture could deflect cyberattacks by combining several methods for analysing network traffic, according to research in the International Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining. The approach addresses a weakness in standard intrusion-detection systems, which struggle with the volume and complexity of modern network traffic.

The researchers combined a deep neural network (DNN), which identifies complex patterns in large sets of features, with a bidirectional gated recurrent unit (BiGRU), a type of neural network designed to identify relationships across sequences in both directions. Both components use an attention mechanism, which allows the system to concentrate on the features and points in a sequence that are most relevant to anomaly detection. The outputs are brought together and classified using a multilayer perceptron (MLP), another neural-network architecture used to assign data to categories.

Tests on two well-known benchmark datasets showed that the system could achieve validation accuracies of around 99 per cent. The researchers explain that the system is stable in training and has comparatively strong robustness and generalisation, which means it should be effective on data beyond its training data.

The results suggest that combining static-feature analysis with temporal pattern recognition can harden cybersecurity systems against denial-of-service attacks, network probing, and attempts to gain unauthorised access.

Yan, H., Liu, H., Yu, P., Xu, X., Li, M., Long, Y., Chen, H., Wang, Q. and Long, D. (2026) ‘DNN and BiGRU-based hierarchical attention network for intrusion detection’, Int. J. Business Intelligence and Data Mining, Vol. 28, No. 10, pp.1–24.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

New Open Access article available: "World uncertainty and the marginal value of cash: suggestive nonlinear evidence from six ASEAN technology markets"

The following International Journal of Economics and Business Research article, "World uncertainty and the marginal value of cash: suggestive nonlinear evidence from six ASEAN technology markets", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Inferred information - "The legal and ethical implications of social media privacy concerns"

There is a modern adage: If you don’t want it on the internet, don’t put it on the internet!

However, a review of research into social media privacy in the International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy has found that legal and ethical protections are not keeping pace with the volume of personal information collected and shared online. Moreover, a lot of inferred information that people don’t deliberately share can now be gleaned by interested third parties from one’s social media activity.

Social media refers to online platforms, websites, and “apps” that people use to create, share, and interact with content and communicate with others. People use it to stay connected, share experiences, access information, and build professional or social networks.

The researchers examined privacy breaches, regulatory frameworks, and the responsibilities of social media companies and users. They argue that the central problem is not about what people choose to post but what can subsequently be inferred or indexed by others.

Social media use leaves a “digital trail" of one’s activities, locations, and interactions and can usually be stored, searched, and analysed easily by third parties, or at the very least by the platform providers themselves. The researchers suggest that even seemingly mundane online activities can reveal personality traits, shopping habits, political opinions and allegiance, and religious leanings.

The team argues that individual privacy and confidentiality support personal autonomy, civil liberties and democratic participation, strengthening the case for greater legal accountability and transparency from social media platforms. It also calls for improved digital literacy, so users are better equipped to understand and manage the risks of sharing information online.

Policymakers and other stakeholders sometimes argue that people who have “nothing to hide” have little reason to worry about privacy. But if that principle were applied consistently, there would be little need for frosted glass in bathroom windows. Privacy is not about concealing wrongdoing; it is about having control over who can see into the most personal parts of our lives, a principle that does not disappear simply because those lives have moved online.

Bilgrami, T., Singh, K. and Ahmed, S. (2026) ‘The legal and ethical implications of social media privacy concerns’, Int. J. Management Concepts and Philosophy, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp.306–322.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

New Open Access article available: "English digital transformation algorithm for distributed big data based on Spark"

The following International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems article, "English digital transformation algorithm for distributed big data based on Spark", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Architecture and virtual reality - "Generation of virtual reality landscape scenes for digital urban architecture based on AI"

Artificial intelligence (AI) combined with virtual reality (VR) could guide us through tomorrow's cities before they are even built, according to research in the International Journal of Environment and Pollution. Such models could be useful for architects, planners, and policymakers.

The team describes a modelling method that uses computer vision, technology that enables computers to interpret images, to scan architectural drawings and buildings. Machine learning (ML), a form of AI that identifies patterns in data, then processes these scans to allow VR technology to construct realistic virtual architectural scenes.

The researchers suggest that greater automation of this process could reduce the labour and resources required by conventional 3D modelling, in which scanned material is often assembled and processed manually. This will be increasingly important as expanding cities place greater demands on infrastructure management and public services. Aside from applications in architecture and construction, the virtual city environments could be used to simulate transport conditions, investigate how tourism might be supported, and also allow responses to emergencies to be rehearsed. Such simulations would allow officials and other professionals to test scenarios in a controlled digital environment before acting in the physical city.

The work points towards digital representations of urban areas becoming increasingly useful in the management of infrastructure and the coordination of complex projects.

Dai, D., Tu, B. and Liu, J. (2026) 'Generation of virtual reality landscape scenes for digital urban architecture based on AI', Int. J. Environment and Pollution, Vol. 76, No. 8, pp.109-122.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Optimisation of English speech recognition using contrastive learning and feature reconstruction
• Impact of personalised learning system based on generative AI on students' higher-order thinking ability and reconstruction of teachers' roles
• Predicting athletes' physical condition using multimodal machine learning models
• Risk perception and traceability in higher education quality management using dynamic knowledge graphs and link prediction
• Quantum computing-driven portfolio optimisation framework for the intelligent economy

Research pick: Logical logistics - "Investigating the impact of AI and big data capabilities on supply chain performance: the mediating role of agility and resilience"

Artificial intelligence and big-data capacity might help logistics companies withstand supply-chain disruptions by making them more agile and resilient, according to research in the International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling. The results are based on an analysis of responses from almost 300 logistics professionals in Indonesia.

The researchers surveyed employees of logistics service providers and analysed their responses using partial least squares structural equation modelling. This statistical technique can be used to test relationships between multiple factors. The findings indicate that digital capabilities help companies detect disruptions, improve forecasting and decision-making, optimise routing, and respond more rapidly to changing conditions.

Supply chains face persistent uncertainty from geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, trade restrictions and labour disputes, regulatory changes, and energy insecurity. This study suggests that technology alone is insufficient to help companies cope, as its value depends on organisations being able to turn information and automated analysis into faster adaptation and resource reconfiguration.

The research is grounded in dynamic capabilities theory, which says that organisations need to continually identify changes, exploit opportunities, and rearrange resources as circumstances change. The survey captures one point in time and focuses on Indonesia but may well be applicable to other regions. The researchers suggest that longitudinal and cross-country studies are now needed to determine whether this is true.

Sudrajat, D., Nagari, A.L. and Apriyanto, D. (2026) ‘Investigating the impact of AI and big data capabilities on supply chain performance: the mediating role of agility and resilience’, Int. J. Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling, Vol. 16, No. 5, pp.1–26.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Interactive mobile English translation teaching quality evaluation model based on particle swarm optimisation-neural network
• An explainable decision intelligence framework for consumer packaging evaluation in e-commerce: a hybrid entropy-weighted grey MCDM approach
• Metaheuristic-based talent configuration optimisation for enterprises under the new quality productive forces framework
• Hierarchical cluster analysis of the deviation degree between school discipline punishment levels and judicial sentences
• Physics-informed modelling of vocal fold fatigue process using acoustic and laryngovibrography data

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Intelligent voiceprint monitoring system for wind turbine blades using SVDD and LSTM
• Identification of new quality productivity levels in agricultural digital transformation using causal inference from confounded data
• Model predictive control-based frequency regulation and photovoltaic fluctuation suppression for high-inertia asynchronous grids
• Multimodal deep neural network inference for design colour emotion quantification
• The simulation modelling and dynamic response for a dual-drive vibratory pile hammer considering soil nonlinearity

Research pick: Info binding by the light - "Experimental demonstrations of visible light communication using quantum noise for high security"

Research in the International Journal of Sensor Networks has demonstrated a visible-light communication system that uses the inherent randomness of quantum noise to make transmitted data harder for eavesdropping hackers to intercept.

The experimental system was able to transmit data at 100 megabits per second (100 mbps) and applies encryption directly at the optical, or “physical”, layer of the communication system. 100 mbps is a modest data transfer speed when compared to modern broadband networks, equivalent to mid-90s Fast Ethernet speeds. Nevertheless, this is a valid initial baseline for a research demonstration, and fast enough for a wide variety of applications.

Moreover, optical wireless of this kind is emerging as a specialised complement to Wi-Fi and fibre connections, for situations with confined coverage and abundant optical spectrum where immunity to radio interference is essential. It could thus be attractive for settings such as hospitals, aircraft, and industrial facilities.

Visible-light communication (VLC) uses rapidly modulated light, typically from LEDs, to carry digital information through an open wireless channel. The researchers can convert data into a signal with many possible light-intensity levels and use a shared secret key to determine how the data is represented. Quantum noise, the random fluctuations arising from the fundamental properties of light, is then superimposed on to the signal. When the noise is at a sufficiently high level, a third party lacking the key cannot reliably distinguish between the signal and the noise. The current approach is based on the Y-00 quantum stream cipher, a technique previously demonstrated in fibre-optic communications and extends the approach to visible-light transmission.

The work could address a particular vulnerability in VLC, that unlike data protected only by higher-level network encryption, the optical signal itself remains exposed while in transit. This kind of physical-layer protection could therefore provide an additional security mechanism for optical wireless links in environments where interception is possible.

Xiao, N., Chen, S., Chen, F. and Shi, S. (2026) ‘Experimental demonstrations of visible light communication using quantum noise for high security’, Int. J. Sensor Networks, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp.1–6.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free Open Access special issue on "Exploring AI: Methods and Applications for Data Mining – Part 2" published by International Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining

The International Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• DNN and BiGRU-based hierarchical attention network for intrusion detection
• Rapid planning of multimodal transport path based on improved VSRB-RRT algorithm
• A mathematical model of attribute-based encryption for mining clusters in big data
• A resource allocation method for digital online teaching platform based on classification mining
• Design of lightweight human pose estimation network for rehabilitation training
• Evaluation and optimisation method for graphic advertising design effectiveness based on binocular vision
• Research on intelligent recognition of English machine translation errors using joint contrastive learning
• Study on high jump athlete error action recognition based on dual stream CNN BiLSTM
• An intelligent recommendation method for multimodal ideological and political education resources integrating with dynamic portrait modelling

New Open Access article available: "The sensitivity of variance risk premium estimates to grid and strike fineness: simulating the Heston model with jumps"

The following International Journal of Financial Markets and Derivatives article, "The sensitivity of variance risk premium estimates to grid and strike fineness: simulating the Heston model with jumps", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• A deep learning framework for sentiment-aware visual communication in digital media systems
• An optimisation model for the graphic design process based on generative AI
• Adaptation mechanism of animation short drama IP and e-commerce products based on multimodal emotion computing
• A system for generating tourism cultural symbols based on diffusion models and graph neural networks
• Deep learning-based semantic segmentation for colour language analysis: a computational framework for cinematic media

Five Inderscience journals announced as open access-only titles

We are pleased to announce that the following titles

• International Journal of Automation and Control
• International Journal of Innovation and Learning
• International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development
• International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation
• International Journal of Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Optimisation

are now Open Access-only journals. All accepted articles submitted from 8 September 2026 onwards will be Open Access, and will require an article processing charge of EUR €1700.

Free Open Access special issue on "Achieving Carbon Neutrality from Environmental Impact Monitoring and Assessment Technologies – Part 5" published by International Journal of Environment and Pollution

The International Journal of Environment and Pollution has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Marginal emission reduction costs of regional energy system transformation enabled by digital economy from the perspective of supply chain
• Automatic completion algorithm for knowledge graphs in power market based on convolutional neural network
• Coupling coordination level and sustainable development of ecological environment and network economy based on data mining
• Calculation of carbon emission footprint of ecotourism energy driven by big data
• Research on the development of low-carbon digital economy transformation based on artificial intelligence and fuzzy synthesis algorithm
• Generation of virtual reality landscape scenes for digital urban architecture based on AI

Research pick: Emission control - "Marginal emission reduction costs of regional energy system transformation enabled by digital economy from the perspective of supply chain"

A digital scheduling framework combining machine learning, optimisation and blockchain technology could allow carbon emissions to be reduced at lower cost in regional energy systems, according to research in the International Journal of Environment and Pollution. The system cut the marginal emission-reduction cost, the additional expense of removing one more tonne of carbon, by about 12 per cent when the carbon quota was restricted to half the system’s baseline emissions.

The new framework addresses a problem facing those managing increasingly complex regional energy networks, where electricity, heat and other sources must be coordinated while emissions are controlled. The problem being that the differences in data quality can make it difficult to assign emissions to specific sources and to then respond to rapidly changing demand.

The researchers used a machine-learning algorithm known as extreme gradient boosting, XGBoost, to identify complex relationships in the data and so forecast daily energy loads using historical consumption, electricity prices, weather, and industrial activity. The forecasts continuously update a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model, an optimisation method that selects decisions subject to constraints such as energy balances and carbon limits.

In addition, the framework records encrypted emissions data using a blockchain platform. Blockchain technology is perhaps more familiar as a cryptocurrency system, but it is essentially an immutable digital ledger that can be used to record data and information exchanges of all kinds. The blockchain thus provides a traceable record of emissions and assigns responsibility across the energy network.

The researchers suggest that integrating forecasting, scheduling, and verification into a single system could provide regional energy systems with a more responsive mechanism for managing emissions as carbon constraints tighten.

Liu, W. and Ma, W. (2026) ‘Marginal emission reduction costs of regional energy system transformation enabled by digital economy from the perspective of supply chain’, Int. J. Environment and Pollution, Vol. 76, No. 8, pp.1–26.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

New Open Access article available: "Investigating the impact of AI and big data capabilities on supply chain performance: the mediating role of agility and resilience"

The following International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling article, "Investigating the impact of AI and big data capabilities on supply chain performance: the mediating role of agility and resilience", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Hydromechatronics

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Hydromechatronics are now available here for free:

• Investigation of non-homogeneous thick-walled cylinder ceramic matrix composites for biochemical and medical innovations
• Investigation into the thermal optimisation of low eddy current structure of high-speed on/off valve considering energy consumption and dynamic characteristics
• Intelligent selection of parameters for air-floating piston based on improved multi-objective grey wolf optimisation algorithm
• Automation and synchronisation on electro-hydraulic lifting system of tunnel boring machine segment assembly
• Design and modelling of multiple-air-chamber pneumatic soft bending actuators

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Digital energy data analysis and risk assessment under precision agriculture financing model
• Research on multiphase flow simulation of cave grouting diffusion coupled with phase field method and convolutional neural network
• Fine-grained classification and health assessment of urban green spaces using U-net and transfer learning
• Reinforcement learning empowered RNN: exploring personalised learning path optimisation in nursing education
• Exposure dose reconstruction-guided imaging screening of tuberculosis close contacts using IoT-based localisation

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Business Information Systems

The International Journal of Business Information Systems has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Embracing artificial intelligence in audit processes: challenges and enablers from the perspective of independent audit firms in Vietnam
• Cloud-based accounting information systems acceptance by culinary MSMEs in Bandung City: UTAUT-3 modelling approach

Research pick: The “bear” essentials in teaching economics - "Bare necessities: understanding economics from The Jungle Book"

Research in the International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education argues that “The Jungle Book” can serve as an unconventional teaching tool for undergraduate economics, using the original stories by Rudyard Kipling as well as the Disney film adaptations to introduce concepts ranging from scarcity and sustainability to happiness and development.

The researchers used qualitative content analysis, a technique that looks beyond the literal content of texts to identify underlying themes and patterns. They thus examined passages from the literary work and the 1967 animated film, as well as its 2016 live-action adaptation. They focused on the theme of the “bare necessities", the basic goods and conditions required for a decent quality of life. The concept was made punningly famous by the lyric sung by Phil Harris voicing the friendly bear of the story, Baloo.

The material is used to illustrate concepts including opportunity cost, the idea that choosing one option means giving up another; barter and monetary economies; sustainable production and consumption; and the relationship between income and happiness. The team suggests that the same material might allow teachers to develop more advanced lessons that even connect the stories to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the “tragedy of the commons”, in which an individual’s pursuit of their own interests can deplete the resources the benefits of which everyone might otherwise share.

Laha, A. and Maji, S.K. (2026) ‘Bare necessities: understanding economics from The Jungle Book’, Int. J. Pluralism and Economics Education, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp.200–223.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Electronic Governance

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Electronic Governance are now available here for free:

• Structural equations and machine learning: an approach to measuring political stability and citizen support in social networks
• Impact of citizen participation through e-government platforms on satisfaction and trust
• Indian approach to data rights: survey of social structures, and personal data protection regimes in India
• E-governance and AI impact on the improvement of e-government services: transformative leadership as a mediator
• Adoption level of AI conversational systems by governments in Nigeria towards reducing inequality to information access

Free Open Access special issue on "Interdisciplinary Research of Energy Application, Governance, and Policy for Sustainability – Part 2" published by International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development

The International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• The 3D digital revitalisation of industrial heritage in energy sector for the third front construction in Southwest China
• Fast identification algorithm for cacading failures of AC-DC hybrid green power grid considering heterogeneous characteristics
• The innovation of deep learning-based entrepreneurship capabilities of green tourism students under the Internet of Things
• Economic growth and carbon neutrality balancing: an optimal decision-making framework for emission reduction policies driven by reinforcement learning

Free sample articles newly available from Journal for Global Business Advancement

The following sample articles from the Journal for Global Business Advancement are now available here for free:

• Policy synthesis for sustainable trade: a panel data gravity model approach of India with European Union and ASEAN countries
• Brand trust and brand loyalty in electronics home appliances in Bangladesh: moderating role of demography and brand-origin, social media and its usage duration
• Audit procedures, auditors' experience and responsibility for fraud detection: a Javanese culture perspective
• Cultural intelligence: research field analysis through VOSviewer and CiteSpace software
• Factors influencing organic food purchasing behaviour: does gender matter? A comparative study between Malaysia and Pakistan
• The impact of content quality on visit intention through celebrity emotional attachment: evidence in hospitality

New Open Access article available: "Prediction of computer network security situation based on machine learning"

The following International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems article, "Prediction of computer network security situation based on machine learning", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Computer, protect thyself - "Prediction of computer network security situation based on machine learning"

A machine-learning model has been designed to predict emerging computer-network security threats with greater reported accuracy than support-vector-machine systems, according to research in the International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems.

The approach described uses a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN). This is an AI, artificial intelligence, model designed to identify complex, non-linear relationships in data. The researchers trained the RBFNN on processed network-security information, including data that can be generated by intrusion-detection systems, firewalls and network traffic. The system ultimately makes network defence more proactive rather than relying on the predominantly reactive technology of firewalls and after-the-fact intrusion-detection systems. Instead of relying on predefined rules to recognise known threats, it can analyse incoming data and use its training to spot similar patterns and so act as an early-warning system.

In tests, the RBFNN correctly classified more than 95% of normal network activity and Heartbleed attacks and achieved 97% accuracy in identifying , denial of service (DoS) attacks. Its accuracy for brute-force attacks was somewhat lower, at up to 93%. However, it had an overall misclassification rate of less than 5%.

The researchers envisage a real-time service capable of automatically analysing data, detecting anomalies and generating alerts. Such systems could become increasingly important as attacks and advanced persistent threats become more varied and difficult to identify using fixed rules.

Liu, Y. (2026) ‘Prediction of computer network security situation based on machine learning’, Int. J. Intelligent Information and Database Systems, Vol. 18, No. 7, pp.1–18.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Construction of cross-media semantic relevance model for college English teaching based on output-driven hypothesis and two-way attention feature learning
• Neural ordinary differential equation waveform modelling for multidimensional analysis of singing technique
• Real-time capture and simulation system of gymnastics motion based on 3D vision transformer and multi-objective optimisation
• Intelligent human-computer collaborative scoring system for English writing using large-scale model representation learning and knowledge reasoning
• Cyber-physical system-based adaptive PID power regulation for cooling tower pumps

New Open Access article available: "Safety risk perception of high-rise building construction process based on digital twin technology"

The following International Journal of Critical Infrastructures article, "Safety risk perception of high-rise building construction process based on digital twin technology", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Computational Biology and Drug Design

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Computational Biology and Drug Design are now available here for free:

• Innovating prosthetic foot design: integrating big data and computational biology for enhanced lower limb rehabilitation
• ADMET analysis and molecular docking of phytocompounds of Magnolia champaca leaf essential oil as potential inhibitors of α-Glucosidase, Estrogen Receptor-α, TNF-α, and Xanthine Oxidase
• Costunolide and Lupeol reinforce IRF3 gene activity in human immune response against COVID-19
• Liver tumour segmentation and classification using MV3CNN-KHO: a combination of multiparameterised inception V3 CNN and Krill Herd optimisation
• AdaCluCSL: an approach for autism spectrum disorder prediction using adaptive clustering smote and cost-sensitive learning

Research pick: AI optimises energy production and cuts carbon emissions in seconds - "Modelling and predicting energy consumption patterns using generative adversarial networks for effective carbon management"

A new AI model for predicting energy consumption could help managers plan ahead as well as open up opportunities for cutting carbon emissions, according to research in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology.

The system uses a transformer-based generative adversarial network (GAN) to learn complex patterns in energy use. GANs are machine-learning systems in which two neural networks work against each other to produce realistic data. By adding Bayesian statistical optimisation, the team could set the system for best performance.

They tested the model on 2000 hourly energy and emissions records drawn from smart meters, building management systems, and industrial grids. They removed references to missing data and deleted outliers to normalise the input. The model made predictions that closely matched the observed energy data while taking only a few seconds to train and run.

The researchers explain that their computer-generated scenarios will allow operators to test demand-shifting measures, integrate renewable generation, and identify inefficiencies ahead of actual power generation and emission formation.

The approach addresses several weaknesses in conventional predictive models, which are known to struggle with non-linear consumption patterns, sudden spikes and troughs, and multiple external factors. This carbon-aware energy optimisation could be used across sites with internal power generation, such as industrial sites and in wider energy systems.

Liu, Y. and Li, B. (2026) ‘Modelling and predicting energy consumption patterns using generative adversarial networks for effective carbon management’, Int. J. Information and Communication Technology, Vol. 27, No. 92, pp.79–110.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Web Based Communities

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Web Based Communities are now available here for free:

• The hidden impact of hashtags on Instagram: navigational heuristics on source trustworthiness
• Exploring the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine dissemination on Airbnb's popularity and sentiment on Twitter
• Customer churn prediction based on customer value and user evaluation emotions in online marketing
• A supply chain risk identification method of foreign trade e-commerce enterprises based on social network analysis
• False information recognition of social media platforms based on multi-modal feature fusion
• A method for evaluating confidence of social media information based on time series analysis
• Study on redundant data dimension reduction algorithm for cloud computing in the internet of things environment
• Large scale MicroBlog location data capture method based on dynamic web page parsing
• Dynamic collaborative mining method of user perceived interest points in mobile e-commerce platform
• Personalised recommendation method for live streaming e-commerce products based on multimedia social networks

New Open Access article available: "Developing community-based waste management for public spaces in coastal tourism villages: establishing institutions with local champions"

The following International Journal of Tourism Anthropology article, "Developing community-based waste management for public spaces in coastal tourism villages: establishing institutions with local champions", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

The International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Enhanced multimodal recognition and genealogy research of Maonan ethnic Nuo masks based on YOLOv10 and CLIP fusion approach
• Artificial intelligence-enhanced Chinese academic writing instruction for cross-cultural communication: a framework for Sino-French and Sino-African contexts
• GAN-based reconstruction for the automatic generation of business English emails and its potential
• Modelling and predicting energy consumption patterns using generative adversarial networks for effective carbon management
• Design and development of a student information management platform based on support vector machines and data mining

New Open Access article available: "Air pollution and asthma hospitalisations in New York City: a borough-level information analysis of spatial, seasonal, and socio-economic determinants"

The following International Journal of Business Information Systems article, "Air pollution and asthma hospitalisations in New York City: a borough-level information analysis of spatial, seasonal, and socio-economic determinants", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations are now available here for free:

• Networks between industry academia: a statistical approach based on India
• Application of particle swarm optimisation in collaborative scheduling of logistics and supply chain
• From personality to connection: the mediating role of tie strength in HEXACO traits and job networking behaviour
• Efficient call admission control in LTE networks with cascade feed forward network
• Social media for climate action in developing countries

Research pick: Not a waste! - "Developing community-based waste management for public spaces in coastal tourism villages: establishing institutions with local champions"

Local action may offer a model for waste management in rural tourism, according to research in the International Journal of Tourism Anthropology.

A study of waste problems in Kampung Nipah, a coastal tourism hamlet in North Sumatra, Indonesia, argues that rural communities with limited public services may need locally governed waste systems rather than relying solely on municipal provision. The researchers found that fly-tipping and littering in Kampung Nipah is linked to inadequate infrastructure. However, it also occurs because of established cultural practices, weak collective responsibility, and an absence of an institution responsible for managing waste across the wider village. The team explains that government waste-collection services do not reach the area, while rubbish from residents, tourists and rivers can accumulate along the coast.

The study involved ethnographic methods, a close, but extended, study of people and their everyday practices. It was able to show how social behaviour and institutional arrangements contribute to the problem of local waste in such a place. To overcome this problem, the team proposes a community-based model centred on local champions, residents who take an active leadership role, who work alongside tourism managers and other stakeholders to change the waste culture.

While the work focuses on only one location, it may well prove to have wider implications for rural coastal tourism elsewhere.

Zuska, F. and Zulkifli, Z. (2026) ‘Developing community-based waste management for public spaces in coastal tourism villages: establishing institutions with local champions’, Int. J. Tourism Anthropology, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp.1–22.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

New Open Access article available: "Government support and digital strategy driving MSME performance: the mediating role of digital transformation"

The following International Journal of Business Innovation and Research article, "Government support and digital strategy driving MSME performance: the mediating role of digital transformation", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Reasoning-based Intelligent Systems

The International Journal of Reasoning-based Intelligent Systems has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

New Open Access article available: "Core genes and pathways underlying ferroptosis in chondrosarcoma pathogenesis: through bioinformatics analysis"

The following International Journal of Data Mining and Bioinformatics article, "Core genes and pathways underlying ferroptosis in chondrosarcoma pathogenesis: through bioinformatics analysis", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Reaching new heights, with safety in mind - "Safety risk perception of high-rise building construction process based on digital twin technology"

Research in the International Journal of Critical Infrastructures describes a digital-twin system that could make safety monitoring on construction sites for high-rise buildings more effective. The system could allow accident risks to be identified as they appear rather than the site simply responding to hazards after the fact.

The team combined three techniques to build their system. First, they used an improved form of grey relational analysis, a statistical approach that works with incomplete data. Secondly, the incorporated local linear embedding reduces data complexity without compromising the relationships. Finally, they embedded a digital twin, a virtual representation of the physical construction site, linked to live measurements from the real environment.

Tests across 90 cases produced recall rates of around 96 to 99 per cent in under a second of processing time. The accuracy of risk factor identification was up to almost 98 per cent.

Fundamentally, accounting for interactions between hazards could help address risks that conventional systems overlook, including falls, struck-by incidents, collapses, mechanical injuries, and electric shocks. The short processing time will allow interventions to be made on-site in a more timely manner when conditions can change rapidly.

Deng, R. and Zhou, L. (2026) ‘Safety risk perception of high-rise building construction process based on digital twin technology’, Int. J. Critical Infrastructures, Vol. 22, No. 12, pp.1–23.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

International Journal of Arts and Technology is now an open access-only journal

We are pleased to announce that the International Journal of Arts and Technology is now an Open Access-only journal. All accepted articles submitted from 31 August 2026 onwards will be Open Access, and will require an article processing charge of EUR €1700.

Research pick: Using AI to track bird migration - "Advancements and challenges in bird migration models: a comprehensive survey"

On hearing the first cuckoo of spring, the poet’s heart might sing, and while one swallow does not a summer make, the annual migrations of bird species across continents have fascinated us for centuries. Today, however, technology is giving ornithologists the means to follow these incredible journeys in ways that would have been unimaginable to earlier generations of naturalists.

Research in the International Journal of Global Environmental Issues shows that artificial intelligence (AI) is being used by conservationists to help predict bird migration timings and patterns. The technology might allow them to identify how climate change and habitat loss are affecting the journeys of many migratory bird species.

The team looked at research into machine learning and deep learning models used to analyse migration, habitat preferences, and bird populations. They explain that machine learning refers to computer systems that identify patterns in data, while deep learning is a form of machine learning that uses layered neural networks to detect more complex patterns. Increasingly, automated sound recording devices that pick up bird calls and songs as they migrate overhead are providing useful data where visual monitoring is simply not possible.

These remote monitoring systems can operate for long periods with relatively little human intervention, building up a picture of migration activity over many nights, seasons, and even years. They offer researchers a way to monitor birds at a scale that would be extremely difficult to achieve with conventional field observations. This technology could thus strengthen monitoring, as habitats and migration routes respond to rising temperatures, changing rainfall, and land development. More accurate forecasts will help determine which habitats require greater protection and inform policy to ensure migratory bird conservation remains central to climate adaptation strategies.

Musale, P.P. and Sonawani, S.S. (2026) ‘Advancements and challenges in bird migration models: a comprehensive survey’, Int. J. Global Environmental Issues, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp.1–26.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Research pick: Masking for a friend - "Fusion of periocular and forehead features for masked face recognition"

A face-recognition system that can see who you are even if you're wearing a face mask covering nose and mouth is discussed in the International Journal of Computational Vision and Robotics. The new system uses biometrics from around the eyes and forehead.

The research addresses a weakness in face recognition as a technology that was exposed during the pandemic. During that period when masks were often compulsory, their use caused conventional face-recognition systems to reject some authorised users. Unlike iris recognition, which can require specialised near-infrared imaging and controlled conditions, periocular recognition can operate with ordinary visible-light cameras.

The team has combined several types of visual information. First, a deep-learning model extracts features from around the eyes. Secondly, two image-processing techniques, local binary patterns and histograms of orientated gradients, analyse the person's forehead. The approach then combines the data to identify or verify an individual with an accuracy up to about 96 per cent in tests on one database but rather less on other testbeds.

Given that, the approach might be used as an initial screening step rather than as definitive proof of identity. A facial match could prompt further authentication with a second factor such as a password, PIN or security token. However, the team explains that they should be able to add other feature recognition into the same system, ears, face shape or profile, and those should improve performance significantly.

Agarwal, D. and Bansal, A. (2026) 'Fusion of periocular and forehead features for masked face recognition', Int. J. Computational Vision and Robotics, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp.133-158.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Research pick: Don’t have me phubbing on the telephone - "This or that, which coworker phubb more; association between personality traits and phubbing behaviour through mobile phone addiction"

Personality traits may help predict whether a person will ignore others while using their smartphones, according to a study of healthcare workers in the International Journal of Business Innovation and Research.

The study involved 177 co-workers and looked at how prevalent “phubbing” is. Phubbing is a portmanteau of the words 'phone' and 'snub' and is the practice of ignoring someone in preference to using one’s phone despite being in a situation in which face-to-face conversation and interaction would be the norm. The study might help social scientists and others understand better the notion of smartphone addiction.

The research assessed participants using the so-called Big Five personality traits - openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Personality and phone addiction were self-reported, while co-workers provided evidence of phubbing by others. The team found that people scoring higher in openness, extraversion and neuroticism were more likely to display phubbing behaviour. Conscientiousness, a tendency towards responsibility, self-discipline, and consideration of one’s obligations, was associated with less phubbing. There was no significant relationship between phubbing and agreeableness, oddly enough.

If a condition we might call mobile phone addiction exists, then it might be described as an inability to refrain from phone use despite the potential for offline human interaction. To be a true addiction, there has to be associated harm, and the researchers suggest that psychological harm may well occur, either to the phubber or the phubbed. This phenomenon partly explains the relationships between personality and phubbing, the team reports. That said, the researchers emphasise that understanding individual differences behind problematic smartphone use could help organisations address antisocial phone behaviour without treating smartphone use itself as inherently harmful.

Khan, M.N., Shahzad, K. and Shafi, M.Q. (2026) ‘This or that, which coworker phubb more; association between personality traits and phubbing behaviour through mobile phone addiction’, Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp.466–487.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Research pick: Workplace social media reduces staff turnover - "Social media as a tool for employee engagement and retention: moderation of perceived ease of use and usefulness"

Social media used inside organisations may help engage employees and increase staff retention, according to a paper in the International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies, which looked at this phenomenon in China. Employee engagement refers to a worker’s emotional and motivational connection with their organisation, the team explains, while retention is the organisation’s ability to keep employees and reduce staff turnover rates.

The researchers used a statistical method known as structural equation modelling to test the relationships between various factors. They considered whether an employee’s perception of technology affected their working relationship. Indeed, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness strengthened the impact of social media technology on engagement and retention.

The findings are particularly relevant to China, where social media platforms are important workplace communication channels. The distinctive cultural and regulatory environment there provided the researchers with a useful setting for studying digital employment practices.

Social media, the team points out, can facilitate communication, knowledge sharing, and recognition. It can thus help employees feel more connected to colleagues, their superiors, and the organisation in general. If this improves employee retention, then it has the benefit to the organisation of keeping hold of experienced and talented staff and reducing recruitment and training costs.

However, the study shows that introducing social media tools may not be sufficient for optimal employee engagement and retention. The team explains that organisations need to ensure employees find these tools easy to use and patently useful.

Liu, J. (2026) ‘Social media as a tool for employee engagement and retention: moderation of perceived ease of use and usefulness’, Int. J. Applied Systemic Studies, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp.220–236.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

Research pick: The internet of bodies and cultural tourism - "Neuroscientific effects of main melody films on audience patriotic sentiment in the context of culture tourism integration: an IoB perspective"

Research in the International Journal of Arts and Technology monitored electrical brain activity and heart rate in people watching patriotically themed Chinese films. They found that the main incidental music in such films can increase the positive emotional response and patriotic sentiment in the audience and at the same time reduce negative emotional responses.

The findings could be used by film-makers offering content in the context of tourism, specifically cultural tourism. Such insights have potential in boosting the impact of film-themed attractions, reconstructed locations, tourism and educational programmes. The researchers add that their approach essentially uses the “internet of bodies”, a human analogue of the “internet of things”, in which technologies collect and analyse data about human behaviour and physiological states. In the cultural tourism setting, this technology would combine information gathered while people watch films with data on their behaviour and interactions at related physical sites.

The extension into social media interactions might also be used to amplify emotional responses through discussion and engagement beyond the film itself.

The approach does raise ethical questions about how physiological and behavioural data should be collected and used when technologies designed to measure audience responses become part of cultural experiences. It might be that prior consent of audience members should be necessary before anyone is subsumed into an internet of bodies system, and individuals should have the ability to opt out.

Wen, L., Sun, W. and Ding, R. (2026) ‘Neuroscientific effects of main melody films on audience patriotic sentiment in the context of culture tourism integration: an IoB perspective’, Int. J. Arts and Technology, Vol. 16, No. 9, pp.45–64.

News media may use this press release as source material, in whole or in part, provided the content is not materially misrepresented. A link back to the original article is appreciated.

International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems is now an open access-only journal

Inderscience's Editorial Office is pleased to announce that the International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems is now an Open Access-only journal. All accepted articles submitted from 24 August 2026 onwards will be Open Access, and will require an article processing charge of EUR €1700.

International Journal of International Journal of Metadata, Semantics and Ontologies is now an open access-only journal

We are pleased to announce that the International Journal of Metadata, Semantics and Ontologies is now an Open Access-only journal. All accepted articles submitted from 24 August 2026 onwards will be Open Access, and will require an article processing charge of EUR €1700.

Research pick: Such a lovely place, but so many leave - "Hotel interns’ career choice intentions from a high-versus-low climate changing region background"

Research published in the International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development analysed interviews with over 300 Chinese hotel interns to see how perceptions regarding hotel work affect whether graduates pursue a career in the industry or not. The findings suggest that negative perceptions do indeed deter graduate interns from pursuing hospitality as a career.

Fundamentally, the team found that occupational stigma, the belief that a profession has low status or is undesirable, was most associated with weaker professional identity. Those graduates with this perception generally did not choose hotel work as a career.

The findings highlight a significant recruitment problem for China’s hotel industry. Despite its reliance on a large and stable workforce, only an estimated 10 to 20 per cent of graduates in hospitality and tourism enter the sector. Moreover, internships, which are intended to provide graduates with practical experience early in their career, sometimes reinforce negative perceptions and lead to many graduates dropping out of the sector before they have even taken more than a few tentative steps on this career path.

The study did find that vocational skills sometimes offset the stigma. Interns with additional skills were less affected by negative perceptions of the industry. This suggests that practical training and professional certification might boost confidence in hotel careers and improve professional identity in the sector.

Yu, F., Liu, L. and Zuo, Z. (2026) ‘Hotel interns’ career choice intentions from a high-versus-low climate changing region background’, Int. J. Environment and Sustainable Development, Vol. 25, No. 7, pp.64–83.

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Research pick: Lowering the scenic language barrier - "Multimedia artificial intelligence technology for accurate translation of scenic area public notices from Chinese to English in ecological translation studies"

A new artificial intelligence, or AI, translation model could improve the accuracy and cultural appropriateness of Chinese-English public signs in tourist attractions, according to research in the International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management. The approach treats translation as more than a word-for-word conversion and combines machine translation with principles from eco-translatology in which language, culture, and social context are considered.

The researchers have incorporated these principles into a neural translation system based on transformer architecture, a widely used AI system for processing relationships between words in a sentence. The model thus uses cultural-language databases together with sentiment analysis. The latter uses a computer to assess the emotional or evaluative language in a piece of text. The system can then tweak the translation for linguistic, cultural, and communicative context.

In tests, the team reports an improvement over older approaches for cultural adaptability, fluency, and completeness. The findings suggest that translation systems designed for specific functions may be better suited to public-facing texts where a culturally inappropriate phrase might confuse visitors or change the intended message. The same system could support multilingual urban signs, heritage-site interpretation, and educational notices.

At this time, the model is limited to a single language pair and a corpus concentrated on Chinese scenic areas. However, the researchers plan to expand the training data and incorporate knowledge graphs, situational modelling, and causal reasoning to improve the system’s ability to be used in different cultures and settings. There is also the potential to improve the handling of historical references, deeper cultural meanings, and linguistic variation by developing deeper reasoning rather than relying on simple rules and templates.

Zhang, C. and Wang, Y. (2026) ‘Multimedia artificial intelligence technology for accurate translation of scenic area public notices from Chinese to English in ecological translation studies’, Int. J. Environmental Technology and Management, Vol. 29, No. 7, pp.1–22.

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Prof. Hai Zhao appointed as new Editor in Chief of International Journal of Signal and Imaging Systems Engineering

Prof. Hai Zhao from Northeastern University in China has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Signal and Imaging Systems Engineering.

Research pick: War! Not that it's good for - "World War II and its lasting legacy: an overview of socio-metabolic transition, environmental impacts and resource flows"

Research in the International Journal of Sustainable Development has looked at eight of the nations involved in the Second World War, both Allied and Axis countries, and shows how that period of history helped set societies on the path to the resource-intensive modern economies we have today. The research links wartime mobilisation to the period known as the Great Acceleration in energy use, material consumption, and ultimately detrimental environmental impact.

The study looks at societal change from before the war, 1935, to the post-war recovery period and the boomer years up to 1960. Demographics, economic activity, power supply, material and resource flow, and environmental impact are all examined. Three major consequences of WWII are seen. First, acceleration, in which existing trends become even more intense. Secondly, redirection where development shifts towards new technologies and the opening up of novel resources. Thirdly, reset, in which destruction or political upheaval changed the direction of nations from the paths there were on before the war.

The researchers use the term “socio-metabolic transition” to describe the various changes in power consumption and physical resources in society. By adopting this almost biological model, they were able to connect wartime production and resource mobilisation with institutional and technological changes that persisted long after 1945.

Abrari, L., Rezaei, N. and Linnanen, L. (2026) ‘World War II and its lasting legacy: an overview of socio-metabolic transition, environmental impacts and resource flows’, Int. J. Sustainable Development, Vol. 29, No. 5, pp.1–62.

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New Open Access article available: "Institutional quality and cash holdings: empirical evidence from an emerging market"

The following International Journal of Business Innovation and Research article, "Institutional quality and cash holdings: empirical evidence from an emerging market", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free Open Access issue published by International Journal of Systems, Control and Communications

The International Journal of Systems, Control and Communications has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.

• Design and application of AI-based personalised learning evaluation systems: full-link optimisation from data collection to intelligent feedback
• Intelligent scheduling and optimisation system: a big data-cloud framework for adaptive urban traffic management

New Open Access article available: "Hybrid resilience in conflict zones: lessons from Aqaba port"

The following International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management article, "Hybrid resilience in conflict zones: lessons from Aqaba port", is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.